Kroger pharmacies begin dispensing Naloxone without prescription

The Kroger Company announced on Monday that it would begin dispensing the opioid reversal drug Naloxone without a prescription at 80 pharmacies in Kentucky.

In a press release, Kroger officials said they had worked with St. Elizabeth Physicians Bellevue Dr. Jeremy Engel in developing a protocol and processes for dispensing the drug without a prescription in Kentucky.

“Unfortunately, Kentucky ranks in the top five states with the highest overdose death rate, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Kroger wants to help reverse this terrible statistic,” says Calvin Kaufman, President of Kroger’s Louisville Division. “We want families dealing with addiction and families of patients on high doses of prescription opiates to have convenient access to Naloxone and have the medication on hand in the event that they need it.”

Naloxone is also available without a prescription in the 16 Kentucky pharmacies operated by Kroger’s Cincinnati/Dayton division – for a total of 96 Kroger pharmacies across Kentucky.